HEATH - For more than a week, workers with the Licking County Humane Society have been removing cats from a Reynoldsburg apartment and now those cats are in need of homes.

Humane Society Director Lori Carlson said a tip was called to the agency's animal cruelty hotline about an apartment in the Licking County portion of Reynoldsburg.

The resident, who had a prior conviction for animal cruelty in Franklin County, had moved into the apartment following her conviction and begun hoarding again, Carlson said.

"The house is in such poor condition and because of how much stuff is in it, the cats are hard to find," Carlson said. "They're hiding in things."

The three-level apartment is being gone through box by box and stack of items by stack, which has made it challenging for the humane agents and other workers.

Carlson said traps have been set to get to the cats. Workers thought they had found all of the cats, which at the time numbered 50, over the weekend.

But Tuesday, workers went back to the apartment and nine additional cats had been trapped. Carlson said at least two more cats were spotted in the apartment as well.

"It's been a really challenging case," Carlson said.

Most of the cats are in relatively good physical condition. Carlson said some of the cats had open wounds, eye infections or respiratory infections. Many of the cats are young and there are many kittens, she said.

"Most of them are at least friendly and socialized," she said. "Most of them are just scared because of being trapped and then transported."

The resident of the home was arrested by Franklin County officials because she was still on probation for her conviction in that county. Carlson said determining whether charges will be filed in Licking County is still under debate.

The resident did sign over the cats to the Humane Society.

The Humane Society is in need of donations to help with the cost of spaying and neutering the cats, as well as vaccines and antibiotics for the ones who do have medical needs.

"We need people who will be interested in adding a cat to their family," Carlson said. "We don't have space for these cats."

An adoption special will likely be taking place in the next few weeks to help make it more feasible for families to adopt the cats and kittens.